Thứ Năm, ngày 17 tháng 7 năm 2014

Minister for Regions Questioned as Witness by KPK Over Papua Graft

Jakarta. Helmy Faishal Zaini, the minister for underdeveloped regions, was questioned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday about what he knew of an attempt to allegedly procure a construction contract in Papua through bribery.

Helmy was interviewed as a witness for two hours by members of the KPK, who are investigating Yesaya Sombuk, head of the Biak Numfor district in Papua province, and five others in relation to allegations of bribery.

Yesaya was arrested at a Central Jakarta hotel on June 16 over the award of a sea embankment project in Biak Numfor, Papua.

A large bag containing envelopes filled with Singapore dollar bills was found in the room with the district head and three others.

KPK head Abraham Samad has previously said that businessman Teddy Renyut, who was one of five others arrested at the same time as Yesaya, bribed Yesaya in order to win the contract for the sea embankment project.

Abraham said Teddy paid Yesaya and alleged that, after the supposed bribe, the project would be given to Teddy’s company, Papua Indah Perkasa, and paid for out of the 2014 revised state budget.

However, Helmy told the Jakarta Globe on Wednesday that there was no sea embankment project planned in Biak.

“Regarding the sea embankment project, there is no such project in the PDT Ministry 2014 budget plan,” he said.

The KPK has also questioned Deputy I and Deputy V at the ministry for underdeveloped regions (PDT), and summoned the minister’s aide, Muamir Muin Syam, on Tuesday. He failed to comply with the summons.